Amusement apparatus



iwardl 19, 1929. MANFRED] 1,705,987

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed July 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 19, 1929. F. MANFREDI AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed July 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet UUUU A MN N \W UWIUU UUUU @WUU

March 19, 1929.

F. MAN FREDI AMUSEMENT APPARATU 5 Filed July 2, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 P217127: Main: 'edz' B QM aafzm.

March 19, 1929. MANFREm 1,705,987

AMUS EMENT APPARATUS Filed July 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 March 19, N RED 1,705,987

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed July 2,-1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 In mentor Frank Miwd&"

Patented Mar. 19, 1929. I

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK manrnnnr, or CORONA, NEW yonx.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

Application filed July 2,

The present invention relates to an amusement apparatus and has for its prime obJect to provide an apparatus along which balls may be rolled to pass through openings to alleys and actuate therein circuit closing elements to light up incandescent bulbs o a scoring board.

Another very important object of the invention resides in the provision of this nature with means for holding the balls in t e submarine alleys until a coin controll d mechanism is operated and with this mec anism is associated means'whereby the balls are released and returned to a position accessible to a new player.

A still further very important object of the invention resides in the provision of an apparatus of this nature which is simple in its construction, inexpensive to manufacture, strong and durable, compact and convenient in its arrangement of parts, easy to manipulate, and thoroughly efiicient and reliable in it's operation. With the above and numerous other ob jects in view as-will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in certain novel features of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, p

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of the apparatus embodying the features of my invention Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof with the table board removed,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section therethrough,

Figure 4: is another fragmentary. longitudinal section showing the coin controlled mechanism and associated parts,

- Figure 5 is a fragmentary bottom plan view showing the cover plate of the switch box removed,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the cover plate removed of the signalling portion of the apparatus,

Figure 7 is an enlarged detail section taken substantially on the line 77 of Figure 3,

Figure 8 is a front elevation of the ap paratus, 7

Figure 9 1s a perspective of one of the switch plates, and n Figure 10 is a diagrammatic View of the wiring,

1928. Serial No. 289,832.

Referring to the drawing in detail it will be seen that the numerals 5 denote the two front legs and the numerals 6 the two rear legs which support the apparatus to incline downwardly and forwardly. Numerals 7 denote side boards which are connected by a front-board 8 and a rear board 9.

A table or platform 10 extends between the walls 7 8 and9 and inclines downwardly and forwardly and adjacent one side Wall 7 and the adjacent portion of the front wall 8 is cut away to provide an opening 11. Adjacent the rear wall 9 a plurality of openings or pockets 12 are provided in the table 01' platform 10.

A casing 14: rises immediately to the rear of the wall 9 and is mounted by suitable members 15 and is provided with a removable rear panel 16. A vertically disposed row of incandescent bulbs'l'l' is provided on the front of the casing 14,- for each pocket or hole 12. Y

A bottom 19 is mounted between the walls 7, 8 and 9 a distance below the table 10 and has a plurality of longitudinally extending spaced parallel coextensive partitions 2O rising therefrom so as to form alleys, one for each opening or pocket 12. These partitions extend forward from each rear wall 9 and terminate rearwardly of the center of the bottom 19 Theforward corners are cutaway as is indicated at 21 so as to form shoulders 22 on which normally rest a stop panel 23 hingedly mounted by means of a shaft 24' on one longitudinal edge thereof. This shaft 24; terminates in a crank 25 with which is pivotally engaged a push rod 26 which extends forwardly from the crank and is slidable through a bearing bracket 27 on a partition 28-. V

A coin control push mechanism 29 is mounted in the front wall 8 and when a coin is engaged therein may be pushed inwardly to engage the forward end of the push rod and push this rod rearwardly so as to swing the crank 25 thereby rocking the shaft 24 and lifting up on the panels 23 so as to release any balls which may be 7 cent opening 11 form a roll way down which the balls mayroll so as to be accessible through the openings 11. A border 30 is lltl provided on the front wall 8 against which the balls will hit. The exposed portion of the bottom 19 and the upper surface of the table are preferably covered with cloth such as used on pool tables and the like.

The bottom 19 has an'opening 31 therein and in this opening is mounted a panel of insulating material 32 which forms the bottom of the alleys formed by the partitions 20, the last mentioned side walls 9 and the partitions 28.

A plurality of circuit closures are arranged on this panel or bottom 32 in rows, one row for each alley. A bar of electric conducting material 33 is mounted on the bottom of the panel 32 in spaced relation thereto throughout the major portion of its length and having ends turned upwardly and secured to the panel. A'plurality of spring pressed contacts 34 are slidable through the panels 32 and are movable down into engagement with the bar 33 by means of plates 35.

Each plate 35 is mounted on the upper surface of the panels 32 in the alleys by means of staples 36 one adjacent each rear corner thereof. The contact 34 includes spring clips 10 which are secured to the panel and urge the contact 34 upwardly with the plates 35 in inclined relation thereto so that as the ball rolls down any one of the alleys the rows of circuit closers therein are successively and individually closed.

These circuit closers which I have indicated generally by letter C in the diagrammatic View, Figure 10', are wired one with a predetermined one of the incandescent bulbs 17 so that as a ball rolls down the alley the topmost light first is illuminated and then the others in succession and the bottom light remains lighted since the ball is I stopped by the stop panel 23 and rests on the 'forwardmost circuit closer that is upon the plate 35 thereof and holds the circuit closer closed.

A drawer 42 is slidably mounted through the front wall 8 under the coin control mechanism 29 so as to collect the coins therefrom. This apparatus may be used in nu merous different ways and according to numerous different rules.

In the present embodiment of the inven tion I have shown seven pockets and the players would endeavor to roll the balls in the front of the apparatus to these pockets and the pockets would count different amounts. If desired suitable hazards couldbe arranged on the table so as to make it difiicult to roll the balls into certain of the pockets.

After the player has used up the predetermined number of balls, his score may be ascertained by the lights 17 which are lit. Thus if he rolls five balls in any one pocket the five lights corresponding thereto will remain lit but if he only rolled one, two, three or four balls in one pocket, only a corresponding number of lights would be lit.

Thus at a glance the attendant may know the score which has been made by the players by counting the lights and multiplying them by the amount each pocket has been marked. Thus prizes may be awarded the players in accordance with the score. "When the next player desires to play it is necessary that he place a coin in the coin control mechanism and push the same inwardly and this releases all of the balls trapped in the alleys by swinging upwardly the panel 23 as explained, so that the balls will roll down to be accessible through the openings 11.

Thus it is not necessary for the attendant to handle an money and he can keep track of a numl ier of these apparati at the same time.

It is thought that the construction, utility and advantages of the invention will now be quite apparent to those skilled in this art without a more detailed description thereof.

The present embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in considerable detail merely for the purposes of exemplification since in actual practice it attains the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description.

It is apparent that changes in the details of construction, and in, the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what claim as new is:

1. An apparatus of the class described including a table, submarine alleys under the table, said table having openings leading the submarine alleys, means actuatable from within the alleys and visible exteriorl of the alleys indicative of the number of alls trapped in said alleys comprising a row of longitudinally arranged circuit closers, each having independent circuit connections with individual electric signalling elements, said circuit closers bein adapted for closing movement in a predetermined order upon the successive entrance of the ball in the alley and means normally holding the balls trapped in the alleys.

- 2. An apparatus of the class described including a table having a plurality of openings in one end, a plurality of submarine a1- leys under the table one registering with each opening, a bottom continuin from the alleys, circuit closers arran e in the alleys, and independently closa le by means of balls in the alley, incandescent lamps in circuit with the respective circuit closers to he energized when said circuit closers are closed by the hall so that the number of balls in each alley may be ascertained by the numbers of lightslitysaid circuit closers being operable in successive order upon the entrance of eachadditicnal ball in the alley.

8. [an apparatus of the class described including a table having a plurality of openings ene end, a plurality cl suhmaririe alleys under the table one registering With each opening, a bottom continuing from the alleys, a plurality elf circuit clcsers arranged in each cf the alleys and clcsahle by means of halls in the alley, incandescent lamps in circuit With said circuit closer to he energized when said circuit closers are clcsed by the hall 50 that the number of halls in each alley may be ascertained by the number 0f lights lit, said circuit closers heihg operahle in successive order upon the entrance of each additional hall in the alley means for.

trapping the balls in the alley, and releasing means for the trapping means.

lln testimony whereof ll afia: my signature.

raaurr irriurauur. 

